Napkin bag

ABSTRACT

A bag of flexible material for the storage and transportation of goods with one or more detachable flat napkins made of absorbent material. The invention has a bag section and a napkin section detachably connected together during bag manufacture. Flat napkins are removed by separating the absorbent material from the bag material at a joint and seams manufactured in the absorbent material or the bag material during assembly. Perforations, scoring, semi adhesive or other weakening means facilitate separation at the joint and seams to create one or more flat napkins.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the transportation of goods that may benefit from a conveniently available absorbent napkin such as food storage and transportation in the carry out food industry or storage and transportation of products, such as lotions or makeup, in the personal hygiene industry. The intent of this invention is to make a storage bag that is cheaper and faster to use by combining paper bag material and absorbent material suitable for use as a napkin into one item. By combining absorbent material with the bag material, a merchant can process orders more quickly and at a cheaper cost than the currently used method of inserting an additional absorbent napkin into a standard carry out bag.

In the accompanying drawings and explanation, one can readily see that the attachment of the absorbent material to the bag material during manufacture of the bag is important to the proper functioning of the invention. Perforations, scoring and adhesives play a key role permitting both the joining of the two different materials and the ability to separate them for use which makes this invention unique.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Bags for the storage and transportation for all varieties of goods have been used for some time. Usually, the bag is made of paper or plastic and is either folded from a single sheet of paper or molded from a single piece of plastic. In normal use, a purchased item is inserted into a carry out bag by a merchant. In the food industry, condiments and a napkin are also inserted for the convenience of an end user or purchaser which adds additional time to serve the food and adds cost for the merchant. When lotions or makeup are sold, it is not customary to include a napkin or other absorbent material with the sale. Use of this invention would permit the purchaser to apply lotion or makeup immediately after purchase and have a convenient absorbent material to clean their hands after application and as needed, such as for the application of suntan lotion.

Available in the prior art is an attempt to reduce both the time and the cost of inserting an additional absorbent napkin in the carry out bag. U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,756 discloses a disposable bag with attached napkin. U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,265 discloses a combination bag and napkin.

The bags described in the prior art have disadvantages that the present invention overcomes. The disposable bag with a napkin attached provides an inconveniently shaped napkin when it is detached from the bag. The napkin is ring shaped and would not be convenient to use for personal hygiene. The combination bag and napkin is constructed from non absorbent material and would only be suited as a serving platform for the food and not as a means for personal hygiene of the end user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention combines a bag and a napkin to facilitate the transportation of goods that may benefit from a conveniently available absorbent flat napkin such as food storage and transportation in the carry out food industry or storage and transportation of lotions or makeup in the personal hygiene industry. The bag is made of flexible material such as paper or plastic. The flat napkin material is an absorbent material readily available and is joined to the bag material during manufacture by an adhesive, by a semi adhesive or other process and is assembled in a similar manner as a bag without an attached napkin. The bag contemplated in the invention herein has a closed end with a first geometric center defined as a point in the bottom of the bag and an open end with a second geometric center defined as a point in space in the center of the open end of the bag. For reference purposes, an axis is defined as extending from the first geometric center of the closed end of the bag through the second geometric center of the open end of the bag. Absorbent material is detachably connected to said bag at a joint by an adhesive or other process with a multitude of perforations or scoring or by a semi adhesive that surrounds the bag at the joint. One or more separation seams are formed in the absorbent material substantially parallel to the axis such that upon detachment from the bag at the joint and separation at the one or more seams, the absorbent material forms one or more flat napkins. The seams are made by multiple perforations, scoring or by semi adhesive or other means designed to permit easy and quick separation such as crushing along the desired seam location.

The absorbent material can be easily removed from the bag material by grasping the absorbent material in one hand and the bag material in the other hand at the joint and pulling them apart. The removal is facilitated by the inclusion of perforations, by scoring the absorbent material, by a semi adhesive or by other means, designed for such separation during manufacture. Seams are then pulled apart to form one or more flat napkins thereby making the attached napkin distinct from the prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage bag showing an absorbent material attached, a joint between the bag and absorbent material, and a single seam in the absorbent material which would form one flat napkin upon separation from the bag and at the seam.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a storage bag showing an absorbent material attached, a joint between the bag and absorbent material, and four (4) seams in the absorbent material which would form four (4) flat napkins upon separation from the bag and at the seams.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a storage bag showing an absorbent material attached, a joint between the bag and absorbent material, and four (4) seams in the absorbent material which would form four (4) flat napkins upon separation from the bag and at the seams and also shows dashed lines representing hidden edges of the bag and a reference axis of the bag.

The bag material is customarily made from paper, plastic, cloth or any other suitable material(s). The absorbent material for use as a napkin is customarily made from paper, cloth or any other suitable material(s). Dimensions and shape for both the bag material and the absorbent material, as shown, are for illustration purposes and final dimensions, shape and the number of flat napkins will be determined by the specific needs of a merchant and can be customized for various industries.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings, namely FIGS. 1 through 3, a new napkin bag depicting the present invention, generally designated by reference numeral 10, will be fully described.

As described in FIGS. 1 through 3, napkin bag 10 comprises a closed bottom 18 and an open end 28. Bag section 15 and absorbent material section 20 are attached at joint 25 during manufacture by an adhesive, compression or by other process thereby forming the final shape and size of napkin bag 10. The final shape and size of napkin bag 10 is predetermined by requirements specified by a merchant and can have a virtual unlimited number of configurations.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 comprises a single flat napkin being realized when an end user separates absorbent material 20 from bag material 15 at joint 25 and separates absorbent material 20 at seam 30. Separation at joint 25 and seam 30 is facilitated by perforations 22, 34 or other means for weakening the connection along joint 25 and seam 30 to facilitate separation. Numerous methods used individually or in combination for facilitating separation at joint 25 and seam 30 are contemplated and comprise perforations, scoring, a semi adhesive, a partial cutting or a weakening of absorbent material 20 along a desired seam location by any means such as crushing.

In FIG. 1, seam 30 can be located at any desired location around the circumference of open end 28. A single seam 30 design would be easily manufactured by locating seam 30 at a conventional connection location created during bag manufacture (not shown).

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2, comprises four (4) flat napkins being realized when an end user separates absorbent material 20 from bag material 15 at joint 25 and separates absorbent material 20 at four seam locations 30, 31, 32, 33. Separation at join 25 and seams 30, 31, 32, 33 is facilitated by perforations 22, 34, 36, 38, 40 or other means for weakening the connection along joint 25 and seams 30, 31, 32, 33 to facilitate separation. Numerous methods used individually or in combination for facilitating separation at joint 25 and seams 30, 31, 32, 33 are contemplated and comprise perforations, scoring, a semi adhesive, a partial cutting or a weakening of absorbent material 20 along a desired seam location by means such as crushing.

FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of FIG. 2 with the addition of dashed lines 52, 54, 56 representing unseen edges of napkin bag 10, an axis 60 extending from a first geometric center 62 situated in closed bottom 18 through a second geometric center 64 situated in open end 28. Axis 60 is used as a reference during napkin bag 10 design to orient seams 30, 31, 32, 33. As shown, seams 30, 31, 32, 33 are generally parallel to axis 60 but may be oriented in any desired configuration as requested by the merchant. The number of seams 30, 31, 32, 33 may vary from one to any number desired by the merchant but for illustration purposes embodiments showing one flat napkin and four flat napkins have been provided.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur in the design of the invention to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A bag of flexible material for the storage and transportation of goods comprising: a bag having a closed end with a first geometric center and an open end with a second geometric center; an axis extending from the first geometric center of said closed end through the second geometric center of said open end; and absorbent material detachably connected to said bag at a joint by a connecting means that forms one or more flat napkins when detached.
 2. A bag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said one or more flat napkins comprises: one or more seams in said absorbent material formed substantially parallel to said axis such that upon detachment from said bag and separation at said one or more seams said absorbent material forms one or more flat napkins.
 3. A bag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises an adhesive.
 4. A bag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises: an adhesive; and a multitude of perforations in said absorbent material along said joint.
 5. A bag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises a semi adhesive.
 6. A bag of flexible material for the storage and transportation of goods comprising: a bag having a closed end with a first geometric center and an open end with a second geometric center; an axis extending from the first geometric center of said closed end through the second geometric center of said open end; absorbent material detachably connected to said bag at a joint by a connecting means; and one or more seams in said absorbent material formed substantially parallel to said axis such that upon detachment from said bag and separation at each of said seams said absorbent material forms one or more flat napkins.
 7. A bag as claimed in claim 6 wherein said connecting means comprises an adhesive.
 8. A bag as claimed in claim 6 wherein said connecting means comprises: an adhesive; and a multitude of perforations in said absorbent material along said joint.
 9. A bag as claimed in claim 6 wherein said connecting means comprises a semi adhesive.
 10. A bag of flexible material for the storage and transportation of goods comprising: a bag having a closed end with a first geometric center and an open end with a second geometric center; an axis extending from the first geometric center of said closed end through the second geometric center of said open end; absorbent material detachably connected to said bag at a joint by an adhesive and a multitude of perforations in said absorbent material along said joint; and one or more perforated seams in said absorbent material formed substantially parallel to said axis such that upon detachment from said bag and separation at said one or more seams said absorbent material forms one or more flat napkins. 